Scientists raise red flag over distressed behavior exhibited by manatees off Florida coast: 'It really annoys them'

Florida boasts diverse land and marine ecosystems that offer a glimpse into a world without human industrialization. One beloved animal from the Sunshine State is the Florida manatee. However, it is being threatened by an invasive species.

What's happening?

As detailed by National Geographic, the armored catfish was dumped from aquariums into Florida waters decades ago and has since exploded in numbers.

Armored catfish are native to South America. However, thanks to the aquarium dumpings, they have been latching onto Florida manatees to scrape algae off their backs using their teeth.

In places such as Blue Spring State Park, researchers have recorded up to 20 catfish on a single manatee. The catfish aren't feeding on the manatees, but the constant grazing causes extreme stress and forces the manatees into unusual movements to buck the catfish off, according to National Geographic.

"Manatees will get twitchy and do a barrel roll, and the catfish dissipate," Melissa Gibbs, professor of biology at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, told the outlet. "Then once the manatee settles down again, the catfish will also settle back down on that manatee. It really annoys them."

Why is this important?

This is yet another example of an irresponsible aquarium trade that is leading to an invasive species disturbing a native one. The mere presence of armored catfish adds to an already overwhelming list of threats manatees face, including food shortages, boat strikes, and habitat loss.

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Invasive fish species have become a problem elsewhere. In Texas, a species of catfish has dug burrows along various riverbanks, leading to destabilization, increased water turbidity, and competition with native species.

What's being done about it?

There have been removal efforts for invasive catfish, but the population continues to grow thanks to its rapid reproduction.

Complete eradication of invasive armored catfish is not feasible, but researchers are doing what they can.

A proposed solution for invasive catfish includes genetically engineering "supermale" catfish — catfish with two Y chromosomes — to collapse populations over time by skewing sex ratios. Another popular proposal is to encourage the public to consume invasive fish species.